Eye on Geylang: A gentrifying neighbourhood

Aerial view of the night bazaar at Geylang Serai, which runs throughout the month of Ramadan. Geylang is undergoing a major facelift with new HDB flats and condominium projects being built in the area, but it still retains its unique culture and reputation as a foodie’s paradise. By Joanne Poh Geylang has a reputation for being one of Singapore’s grittiest neighbourhoods. Home to the nation’s most infamous red-light district, the area is rather unexpectedly an immensely popular commercial and residential precinct. But thanks to its excellent food scene, desirable location near Singapore’s Central Business District, lively cultural scene and authenticity of its historic shophouses, Geylang has become a highly sought-after place to live. Steeped in history In the 19th century, the banks of the Geylang River were home to a small settlement occupied by kampong -dwelling Malay ...